As is known, soles differ according to whether they are designed for comfort, safe footing or grip.
Light-hiking shoe soles are normally defined by two or more layers comprising at least one bottom layer or tread of elastomeric material, and a top layer of flexible cushioning material for supporting the foot.
When walking, the sole should ensure maximum grip on any surface or gradient, and in particular sufficient friction to prevent backward sliding uphill and ensure optimum braking downhill.
For this purpose, soles are now marketed featuring a tread with a number of deformable, projecting blocks, which are normally substantially quadrangular and constitute a compromise solution designed to achieve acceptable grip performance when accelerating and decelerating.
Currently marketed soles, however, fail to provide an optimum solution to the two conflicting requirements of ensuring safe footing, which would call for a substantially rigid sole, and a fairly good degree of comfort.